Court orders a Bimoba Interpreter for Kombian

An Accra District Magistrate's Court on Friday ordered its registrar to communicate with the Chief Registrar of the Judicial Service for a Bimoba Interpreter for Johnson Kombian, an armed robber and two-time jail breaker.

No charges were preferred against him for his plea to be taken. The court presided over Mr Ali Baba Bature, remanded the accused into prison custody to re-appear on May 23.


Kombian wanted to speak in his own local dialect Bimoba, a language of the Bimobas in the Mamprusi West District of Northern Region but the court said “We do not have a Bimoba Interpreter."


It asked the audience whether anyone could assist the court but no one responded and subsequently adjourned the matter.


The State was represented by Ms Marina Opera-Appiah, Principal State Attorney.


Counsel for Kombian, George Asomani who was indisposed was not in court.

The court said "It has not received any information from the counsel and would therefore, proceed with the case."


But when Kombian was asked what language he preferred to speak he replied "In my own language Bimoba".


The 35-year-old armed robber, known as Nankpanduri Terror was handed a Bill of Indictment at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison where he is currently serving 13 years imprisonment for escaping from lawful custody on two occasions.


Kombian was handed a seven-year jail term for his first escape from the Gambaga Prison and six years for his escape from the Tamale Prison.


He allegedly killed two policemen and wounded another at Nankpanduri in October 2010 and managed to escape to Togo but was arrested by INTERPOL in that country and handed over to the Ghana Police Service for further investigations.

Before being declared wanted, Kombian allegedly murdered some of his robbery victims at Nankpanduri, with the last victims being the policemen.


After that assault, Kombian eluded the police by shuttling between Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso.


In addition to the murder and injuring the policemen, Kombian was wanted to face trial for other crimes, including robbery, attempted murder, possession of firearms without lawful authority, escaping from lawful custody and stealing.


Until his escape, Kombian was serving a five-year jail term for a previous escape and awaiting trial for robbery and attempted murder.**